You’ll be returning to Hindi cinema after three years with Neeraj Pandey’s Operation Romeo. Did you notice any significant change especially in yourself, on your return to the sets?
I think the more you practice any craft that you take up in life, the better you get at it. For example, when you’re an artist, or you’re a chef or a painter or you are a designer or for that matter, even a journalist, when you start off you’re different. But over the years, you start figuring out how to ask the right question or what to do with your craft, so you keep getting better. After ‘MS Dhoni’ I’ve done a lot of films in the South. I continued and so I’ve seen the change in myself as well. And I’ve seen the change in the industry, how it works. It’s different, but it’s nice. It’s always nice to come back and learn more and go back home enriched.
Speaking of Hindi cinema, people have always associated you with Salman Khan’s ‘Tere Naam’. While that fame also gave you a lot of visibility and recognition, did that also create a pressure on you to be consistent in Bollywood?
Not really, if you live under pressure you can’t perform, if you want to perform — because that is what my job is — I have to make sure that my next film should be like ‘Tere Naam’ or ‘MS Dhoni’. Otherwise, I will not be able to perform.
I will enjoy my past, I will enjoy the journey that I’ve had. But when I’m working, I will only concentrate on that day, on that shot between the camera and I, that’s all. I will not let my past and/or future create pressure. And so for me, my success is just the camera and me in that very moment. Any thought that passes at that point, which is really remotely related to your past, professionally or personally, will kind of distract you and be a hindrance to your performance. I don’t think about any stress coming from my past, or Tere Naam’s success, but I take it positively and I aim ahead.
Salman has always been a solid support system for his heroines and colleagues. How has he influenced your life and career in any way?
I don’t see it that way. Influence is a very strong word. You get influenced in a performance, or even as a human or as a person. I don’t think I had that much interaction with him on a personal front. We were very cordial and nice, but I was never really close to him. And so I don’t think I could get influenced by him in any such manner.
He’s also been a very controversial figure, but over the years, his image has changed as well…
He has changed a lot, I see so much difference. But it happens with all of us, isn’t it? You know, when you’re in your 20s, you’re different from when you’re in your 30s. And then you change again in your 40s and 50s. So I think he’s probably – from what I hear, because like I said, I don’t have much of personal interaction with Salman – seen a kind of good growth in him as a person and even as an artist.
In one of your earlier conversations you have mentioned how challenging it is to be seen by producers and directors to understand that you’re still working, so they can approach you. Has that aspect changed lately?
It’s still the same. It’s the latest scenario (laughs). That wasn’t the case earlier. I think with the PR, media and social media, it’s become quite evident that you have to be seen. When I started my career in the early 2000s you didn’t have to be seen everywhere, every time.
I hardly partied and I kept getting work. And I kept enjoying it. But now, I think the scenario has changed with social media coming in and with Twitter and Instagram, Facebook and YouTube and a million other things and the PR setup as well.
But I don’t take it as a pressure, I feel that you should be seen decently enough for people to understand that you exist, but not give the people an overdose of yourself where there’s no mystery left, there’s nothing left for them to want to know about you.
Does this need to be visible ever get overwhelming?
I don’t put much effort into it. (Laughs) I mean, I do put in a little bit of effort and then I go off into my own space and zone. I take off and go into another world. I’m happy that way.
Back in 1998, you did your first photoshoot with Dabboo Ratnani. You recently shared some glimpses of your first steps into the industry on social media. How do you reflect on your journey?
I think it’s been incredible. My first photo shoot was done in 1998 and it seems like a lifetime has passed since then. It feels unbelievable to note that it’s been 24 years now. It seems like it was such a long time ago, but like I always say one must always focus on taking one step at a time and keep putting one step in front of the other and keep going — take those baby steps ahead. I’ve done ads, I’ve done music videos and films. I’ve worked in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Hindi and Bhojpuri films. I have enjoyed my journey.
God has been kind. The film industry has been kind. I don’t take my work, success or fame for granted, not even for a day, not even for a moment. Because the almighty gives it and he takes it away. I believe in eternal gratitude, from the time you wake up till the time you sleep. I don’t take a single moment of my life for granted.
Go on…
I believe, if you want to continue working, you have to have a good rapport with people and also have discipline. You cannot walk in at 11 o’clock for a shoot that starts at 9 o’clock and then throw a tantrum, too. All because you got three good films and you’ve become a star. You cannot have an entourage of another 10 people following you around. You have to assume control of your situation and the people around you, but you don’t always know what your bouncers are doing and what your makeup man is doing. If you throw a fit at any one, some will take it, but most people won’t. So you must maintain a decent amount of respect for yourself, for your field, for your colleagues and you probably will go a long way.
Being successful comes with its own share of rejections, ups and downs. How have you sailed through those phases, kept your spirits high and got yourself back up?
Life is all about going up and down, your sailboat is never steady. It just goes floating high and then it crashes low. But I think I’ve never been too attached to things or to success or failure. I just keep working hard, giving my best, and giving my honest attempt at whatever I do.
There’s a notion that actresses don’t get good opportunities after they reach a certain age. They are either relegated to side roles or end up getting typecast. What is your take on that?
It’s a fact. But now the industry is changing. Things are opening up, they’re becoming different. We are still a long way from reaching where we should ideally be. But thankfully, things have changed over the last few years.
You always tend to bring credibility and trust to every character you portray or every film that you choose.
One needs to be sensible in their choices — success and failure is inevitable. But if you’re sensible in your decisions of choosing scripts that are sensible, commercially viable, but not a little crazy and off the kilter, audiences will connect with you. The basic sensibility of selecting your work should be sound and the rest will always be taken care of.
Bharat Thakur and you have almost completed 15 years of marriage. What has changed in this decade of partnership and what has remained unchanged between the two of you?
I think what has changed is a more mature outlook on understanding each other’s space and work. And the fact that we both travel a lot in our space, you earn respect for each other’s work. You kind of become companions, you talk, you laugh, you share things. You grow as people.
Do you alter your creative decisions keeping in mind what your kids will think a few years from now, when they see your work?
I don’t want my son to grow up and see me in some crazy film. Yet, I haven’t altered my creative choices so much. Because even before the birth of my son, I was very selective about what I did. When you analyse my body of work, you’ll see that I’ve been very selective about the roles and films. It’s always been content that the whole family can sit together and enjoy. When you have children, you tend to think about the situation of them being grown up and be able to enjoy your work.
One piece of advice that you would give yourself from a decade ago?
I could have done a little more PR probably. But it’s okay, I wasn’t made for it.
